The Ball
by Kreuger2
Summary: A Ball in honour of the OZs return to glory ignites something in DG. DG/Cain


Titles and Descriptions are not my strong suit...

Just a short DG and Cain fic because I had nothing better to do!

xxxx

She took in her reflection in the mirror and sighed, she could do without the festivities ahead of her. Her mother had picked out a dress that was admittedly very beautiful, but it wasn't her and now here she was trussed up like a lady when she felt like anything but. Order restored in the OZ her mother had decided that a ball in honour of it's inhabitants was in order. A way of reintroducing Azkadelia to a people that had no reason to trust her. It had also been tipped as a 'coming out' of sorts for DG who had come of age on the Other Side.

She knew her mother was well intentioned and she tried not to resent the effort put into this evening but she was just getting her bearings. She wasn't ready to be displayed for all to see, especially not the way her mother wanted. She was powerless to resist however, so now here she was in a beautiful dress she felt uncomfortable in, her hair piled high on top of her head and priceless jewels hung around her neck.

"This blows." She exclaimed to the empty room. At that moment there was a knock on the door. "Time to face my public." She muttered again to the empty room.

She attempted to sashay across the room to the door and then flung it aside in her frustration. "Lets get this over with." She demanded barging past Cain who had come to escort her to the ball. She took a few steps before she noticed that he was not following, instead he was just looking after her a shocked expression adorning his face. "What?" She barked. He said nothing. "I'm not in the mood for your cryptic nonsense right now, spit it out or get over it." She glared at him waiting for his response.

"I just… I've never seen you looking so… elegant." He cracked a small smile at her obvious discomfort.

"Don't get used to it."

"Never, it's not you." She took his comment in the spirit in which it was intended.

"Tell me about it. Now come on, we can't keep my public waiting." She turned and waited for him to catch up before they set off together. He offered her his arm and together they made their entrance to the ballroom.

As they entered all eyes turned to the newly returned Princess. The population had thought her to have died, so her reappearance was bound to illicit some excitement, but news that she had in fact spent the past years on the Other Side only stirred their excitement further. There was a general interest in the place so few had visited and it gave her a mystique she would have given anything to discard. "Promise me you wont leave my side tonight." She plead with her companion.

"I wish I could Kiddo, but I am at the mercy of your parents this evening." He swallowed a smirk as she grimaced at him.

"I hate you." She joked.

"I know you do. Now go play nice." He walked away to take a position on the sidelines where he could keep a watchful eye over the evenings proceedings. While many were happy to believe that the witch was gone and the old OZ returned, there were those who were not so easy to convince. They were not expecting trouble tonight, but they were prepared for it all the same. As such Cain was acting as head of security for the evening.

The first thing DG did was seek out her sister, if she couldn't make Cain stay with her she could probably convince Azkadelia. She saw relief in her sisters eyes as she made her approach, she was in conversation with a couple of older ladies who seemed to be sharing with her the benefit of their years. "Somethings are the same wherever you are." She thought to herself.

"DG there you are. Excuse me ladies, I have an important matter to discuss with my sister. I wish you a good evening." She offered a small curtsey and then made her break for freedom.

"That looked like fun." DG made no effort to hide the grin on her face.

"Remind me again why tonight is such a good idea." She took her sisters arm and they commenced a lap of the room.

"Because the wicked witch that made your body her home has terrorised this once great nation and now it is our duty to set their minds at ease." DG offered without missing a beat.

"Yes well, another conversation like that and I might be wishing for her return."

"I don't know what you're so upset about, you're not the one being paraded like a piece of meat for the locals. Who was it who decided that all young women must want a man at their side anyway, I'm perfectly happy on my own." She pouted now, her blue eyes shining under the chandeliers.

"You aren't on your own though are you? You have your own personal body guard to follow your every move." She offered a knowing smile at her younger sister.

"He has this boy-scout complex thing going on, he thinks he needs to protect me."

"Boy-scout?" Azkadelia asked in confusion.

"It's an Other Side thing, it's not important, the point is it's not exactly the kind of companion mother has in mind for me."

"I wouldn't be so sure." Her sister offered in response as she caught another surreptitious glance offered at DG by the man in question. "He's barely been able to take his eyes off you, and I don't just mean tonight."

"It's his job." DG brushed away the comment, this conversation was definitely for another time. Right on cue they were joined by their first suitor of the evening, he was not unattractive in a boy band sort of way, but he had little of interest to say and DG made no effort to hide her distaste.

After that the evening only got worse, when it wasn't suitors sent over by her parents it was people wanting to quiz her on life on the Other Side. She felt like a sideshow, and the furtive glances she noticed directed toward her sister did nothing to set her mind at ease. After a couple of hours of forced polite conversation they were joined by a couple of young men. They offered equal attentions to both sisters, and rather than asking questions they regaled them with tales of their own adventures. They were charming and amusing and so when they asked the sisters to dance, they were only too happy to oblige.

They were led to a large dance floor that was as yet unoccupied and the tune was changed to be more conducive to young couples dancing. DG was glided around the dance floor and as they danced they continued to laugh together, it was the first time all night she had felt like a normal girl. Before long more couples took to the dance floor, but DG slowly became aware of only one thing. The eyes of her self appointed protector hadn't left her figure since she took to the dance floor.

As she became more aware of the man on the other side of the room she started to lose interest in her dance partner. What was she doing? She wasn't interested in anything from these men. Suddenly she didn't want to be in the arms of a man she barely knew, it felt like a betrayal to the only man she did know. "I need to sit down." She directed this statement to her partner and turned to leave his embrace.

"When the songs finished." He said pulling her closer to him.

She struggled against his embrace, "I want to sit down now." She said more forcefully.

"Come on sweetheart who do you think you're kidding? You've got me here, you don't have to play hard to get." He made no effort to loosen his grasp.

"I'm not playing anything." She said, "I'm going to sit down." She made one final effort to leave his embrace, this time with some success. As she turned to walk away he clasped her wrist.

Before she had time to let out a cry of pain she heard a voice behind her, "I'd let go if I was you." The voice was unmistakeable and she was immediately released. "You ok Kiddo?" He directed at her still grasping the wrist of her unwanted suitor.

"I'm fine, I need some fresh air." she made a hasty exit from the room, stepping outside via a door at the back of the ballroom. She took in a few gulps of air before she was joined by her protector a couple of minutes later.

"Your gentleman friend has been escorted from the building." He said announcing his presence.

"I didn't think guys here were like that." She spoke into the darkness around her.

"I think it's possible there are men like that everywhere."

"You're not like that." She stated matter of factly.

"No. I'm not, I would never force unwanted attentions on a woman, I'm much too proud." He stood up straight at that, his chest out and hands behind his back.

"I don't think it's that." She eyed him seriously, "You're too honourable. It isn't appropriate."

"I'm not sure I'm as honourable as you think I am." He said with meaning.

"Then why haven't you kissed me yet?" It was bolder than she had intended, but it was quite clear that he wasn't going to make the first move, she just hoped she hadn't misread the signals.

"DG." There was a note of exhaustion in his voice. A resolute tone he did nothing to disguise.

"Tell me I'm imagining this, look me in the eyes and tell me I'm wrong." This was said with more conviction than she felt. If she was wrong about this she wasn't sure she would be able to look him in the eyes again, but it was out there now, hanging in the air around them. There was no taking it back, so she might as well see it through.

"I am here to do a job, I'm a guard, and if you'll let me a friend, but I can't give you anything more." He couldn't hide the sadness in his eyes and it didn't go unnoticed by her.

"Why not?" He sputtered at her question before she pushed forward, "Seriously why not? Is it the age thing? Cause it really isn't that big a deal. Or the fact that you're my guard? That I'm a Princess? Because I grew up on a farm, my blood line may make me regal but my upbringing does not, I'm a mechanic, I ride a motorcycle, I'm not the person that they want me to be, and you of all people get that. So please, tell me what the problem is."

"It's not…" He tried to think of the right word.

"Appropriate?" She offered.

He made a small chuckle in response. "I know you think you have one over on me now but you're wrong." He stopped laughing and resumed speaking in a more serious tone. "You're not imagining this DG, I do have feelings for you that extend beyond that of a guard and his ward, but I swore a vow to protect you, and that is what I am going to do. No matter what it costs me." He squared his jaw and looked her in the eye letting her know that this matter was not open for discussion.

"And what about me? What about the costs to me?" He made no move to answer her question and so she took a step toward him. "This is my life too, shouldn't I get a say in this?" Still no response, and so a step closer. They were now stood almost nose to nose. "And if I were to kiss you now? Would that change your mind?"

Finally he spoke, "I'm sure it wouldn't." While his voice didn't waver he made no move away from her as she drew her body ever closer. She lingered with their faces nearly touching for a few seconds longer before finally succumbing to temptation. At first he was passive as she pressed her lips against his, but after a few seconds he relinquished his self control. He pulled her to him deepening the kiss, she was flush against his body and she could feel the heat between them. For a few seconds the world around them seemed to disappear and they were the only ones left. Inside they heard the end of one song and another begin, bringing them back to reality.

"I guess if you don't want this I should go." She said once the kiss was over, moving away from him slowly.

"Hey. Not so fast." He said catching her arm tenderly and guiding her back into his embrace, "I may have been a little bit hasty." He said pressing another kiss to her lips, which she reciprocated with relish.

Once again pulling away for air she spoke "I understand why you're not comfortable with this Cain but don't we deserve to be happy?" She knew that she had him now and she didn't want him to over think things and run away.

"You could be right." He whispered smiling down at her, again he placed a kiss to her lips. "Hey kid, do you think maybe you could start calling me Wyatt?"

"I could probably manage that. If you can stop calling me Kid, Kiddo, or any variation thereof."

"Deal." She beamed at him before pulling him into an embrace, she didn't need a protector, she needed a companion, but in him she was sure she had both.

She pulled away and turned toward the ballroom, "Now, who gets to tell my parents?" She eyed him with amusement as he looked at her sceptically. "You know if you were a real gentleman I wouldn't even have to suggest it." she said laughing.

"Good thing I never claimed to be a real gentleman." He retorted, "Now come on, there are people inside waiting for the guest of honour." He took her hand and led her to ballroom where they would face the minor hurdles that lay ahead..


End file.
